


One Year Chip

by AliceDays



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: Alvareider, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Love, Love Confessions, Smut, Sobriety, There will be lemons, alvareider smut, lemons ahead, penelope alvarez deserves nice things, schneider deserves nice things, we need more alvareider smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 01:44:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18326165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceDays/pseuds/AliceDays
Summary: At the night Schneider gets his one year chip, he also gets the most wonderful present of his entire life.





	1. 1

The decision to break things up with Avery had not come lightly to Schneider. He had thought and mused a lot about it, spending long nights awake wishing to find an answer – or to have a drink, and even though he did not have said drink, the clarity didn’t come for many weeks.

Avery had been prepared. She had known Schneider was not himself around her, more thoughtful and quiet than ever, even if his attention and sweetness had never faltered. But there was a reason AA didn’t recommend people to start new relationships during the first year of recovery and Schneider knew it. He had to work on himself, on his steps, his therapy, his interior troubles. Those were time and energy consuming, time and energy he should not be forced to share with the efforts of making a new relationship work. It was time to take care of himself and Schneider didn’t think it was fair to Avery, sweet and understanding Avery, who had been so patient with him.

She had not been happy, but she understood. She supported him, did all she could for him not to feel guilty for leaving her, and walked away from his life with a peck on his lips and a squeeze on his hand. _Maybe after I get my one year chip I’ll call her again_ , he thought through the tightness on his chest. _I’ll call her again. If she still wants me_. Right after this thought, the internal battle started, because a voice that sounded chillingly like his father’s told him he should never think of calling her again because she was better off without him, because any woman would be much better off without him, a mindless, dumb addict who couldn’t even control himself to keep clean.

Therapy was working for him, mostly, and made Schneider focus on positive thoughts about himself, telling the internal voice to just shut up, because he was a good man, a good person, who deserved good things in life, who deserved to be loved and to allow himself to love. Some days it didn’t work, but thankfully most days it did, keeping him on track. So he decided when the day came, he’d call her and ask if she still wanted him.

But he didn’t. On the night he got his one year chip he was happy and light, and so proud of himself, and not for a moment he thought about calling Avery. He didn’t think about her at all. He thought about himself because this was _his_ moment. He’d accomplished it; dealing with his own struggles and inner demons he now could understand and deal better with. So he smiled, chest filled with pride, eyes filled with tears as he heard the Alvarez cheer him when he entered their apartment, later that night, following Penelope in.

She’s been there with him tonight – _I wouldn’t miss it for the world_ – and had cried with him as she applauded along the others.

“I’m so proud of you, Schneider!” she had said after, hugging him tight, making him bend over so her head could reach his shoulder; he did it gladly, though. “I knew you’d make it. I knew all along.”

“Still making it, though,” he told her with a smile as he let go and reached immediately for her hands. “One day at a time, remember?”

“Yes,” she smiled knowingly up at him, “I know.”

“I need to thank you. It would all have been so much harder without you there for me, Pen.”

“You’d still have come thought it,” she squeezed his hands. “But I’m glad I was there to watch it happen.”

They just stared at each other, holding hands, smiles reaching their eyes for a long moment, and Schneider felt like there was so much he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her that no, he didn’t actually think he would have made it to one year sober if she hadn’t been there, if her family had not been his family, if he had felt, in this past year, as lonely as he had felt on the whole of his previous life.

He wanted to tell Penelope that months ago, he had nearly succumbed and drunk again, but it was thoughts of her that stopped him. It was knowing he would disappoint her once again, it was knowing she would want him away from her kids and mother, and more than that, was believing she would cut him off _her_ life complete and definitely that made him not go into that liquor store and go home to call his sponsor instead. He knew now, after many meetings and therapy, that those thoughts were valid for his recover. Thinking about the people around him, who he loved and loved him, was necessary for his recovery, but could never be the sole reason for being sober. He had learned he had to do it for himself; he had to love himself just as much as he loved the others, so his own self would be a reason to get sober. He needed to center his sobering process on healing himself and his own wounds. But Penelope and her mom and kids were so deep in his heart now that it had been difficult to separate himself from them.

Schneider wanted to tell her now, that Penelope was the most wonderful person he knew and that he felt lucky and blessed that she was with him, in his life and here tonight, and that she considered him her best friend, or her friend at all.

But he just let out a small, happy laugh, more like a puff of air, and squeezed her hand.

“Let’s go home,” she told him, “ _Mami_ said she’d make your special _ropa vieja_ to celebrate.”

He smiled more, hummed, throwing his head back and let Penelope pull him towards the door. _Home_. Home, where Elena came forward to hug him while Alex and Lidia sang and danced to “ _Dale, Schneider, dale!_ ”, Penelope joining them. He was hugged by each one, Lidia last, and as she let him go, she held his face in her hands and told him “ _Estoy orgullosa de ti, mijo_ ,” and Schneider cried again, having never in his life felt so accepted and like he belonged and he did here, with his family.

He removed his glasses and dried his cheeks, a hand brushing down his beard before he replaced the glasses and looked at them, who now stood together, beaming at him. “You guys, I –” he paused. “I don’t even know what to say, I just… Thank you. You all have been so supportive, you’ve been my family. Knowing that you were there for me, that I wasn’t alone… Even though it took me a while to believe... And accept that… It made each day… Easier. Lighter to bear. Just… Thank you. I love you guys.”

Penelope came forward to hug him again, his arms coming around her without a thought. She’d been doing that much more often now than she did in the other seventeen years they’d known each other. He loved the change. His heart did a little flutter every single time, warmth pooling on his stomach, eyes closing on their own, as he did now.

“This is what family is for”, she said against his chest a moment before squeezing him tighter and letting go and raising her voice as she turned away from him and dried a tear from her cheek, “ _Ay_ , let’s eat! Is dinner ready, _mami_?”

Eating Lidia’s delicious food with them was a simple, routinely thing, but tonight it felt just like a party. Conversation flew easily, the kids telling things about their day - Elena trying to control a freakout about the college letters she should receive any minute now – and it was just perfect. Schneider looked at each of them as he talked about his own stuff too, and saw Penelope get up from the table with the nearly empty food bowl in hand to enter the kitchen and go get more _ropa vieja_ from the pot on the stove. He saw her take the pot and place it next to the serving bowl on the counter, a little smile on her face and she refilled it and looked over at the table.

She caught his eye then, and Alex and Elena started a discussion on how Alex should not ask two girls out at once just to ‘have a plan b’. Her smile didn’t falter, but her eyes didn’t leave his either, as Schneider expected them to. He could feel his own smile softening, something serious crossing his face as he looked over at her, nobody else on the table the wiser. Her lips also turned serious, even though her eyes were still soft on his, and she held on, making it impossible for him to look away. For seconds he had no idea what was going on, but his mouth dried even though he’d been drinking juice all night, and his heartbeat picked up. He could see she was breathing a bit harder. The seconds of doubt were gone though, clarity of what was going on coming to him like a wave that made him lightheaded, forcing a strong intake of breath, when she stopped herself from smiling again by biting her lower lip… And he just _knew_. His mouth hung a little bit open, eyes glued on hers, unable and unwilling to look away.

She broke the spell, though, looking away with a deep breath and taking the refilled bowl back to the table, where she sat across from him and timidly looked again, only to catch him still staring, his eyes having followed her without looking away. He only did when Lidia spoke to him, asking how he liked the food tonight, and nobody had seemed to have noticed their look, even though it felt like they’d been silent and staring for hours. For all the rest of dinner their eyes reached the other’s and met over the talking, smiles coming along, larger and happier as the minutes went by.

Long after diner was done and he’d helped Alex with the dishes, Schneider thanked them all again, got hugged once more and was followed to the door by Penelope, who now seemed a bit nervous, which was weird because she was usually so comfortable around him. He caught himself fidgeting too, as he stepped to the threshold.

“Hey, so, uh…” Penelope started as she held the door open. “Can we talk?”

His heart did a weird thing inside his chest and the warmth is his stomach turned a bit cold and he nodded, mumbling _of course_. Penelope turned to look into the apartment to let people know she’d be heading out for a moment but saw her mother enter her bedroom and close the curtains and Alex curl up on the sofa with his cell phone, Elena gone to her own bedroom. So she said nothing and followed him out to the hallway, and for someone who had said she wanted to talk, she went real quiet, looking up at him and rubbing her hands together.

“Hey,” he whispered, reaching one hand to hold hers. “Come on.”

He turned around pulling her, feeling her go with him without a question, her hand tight on his. Silently, he climbed the stairs and crossed the hallway to his apartment, which he unlocked after fishing his keys from his jeans pocket without letting go of her hand. He opened the door and gestured for her to get in before him, their eyes once again meeting and she brushed past him. Schneider could feel his heart accelerated because he knew something was about to happen, he knew something had changed along with that look over dinner.

“You ok?” he asked because he could see she was nervous and that he had placed her hands on her back pockets to keep from fidgeting.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she told him and laughed nervously. “There’s just something I need to tell you.”

“You wanna sit?”

“No, it’s – its’s fine.”

“Okay?” he took a step closer, but there were still some steps between them.

“So, uh,” she looked down and then back at him. “Today was a very special day for you. I know how much it means, and I know it’s an everyday thing, and every day is a victory, but the one year mark is meaningful. But I - ” she paused to look down and lick her lips and he could see that her mouth had gone dry and she was more nervous about what she was about to say than he had imagined, and it made him nervous too, because he knew it was important, so very important. Penelope was a badass, she was strong and empowered. Penelope Alvarez didn’t stutter or avert her eyes on the face of the unknown, and that’s why he knew this was big. She took a breath and looked up at him again, “I’ve been waiting for this day too. I’ve been counting the days, a freakin’ countdown on my head and the last few days have been really long and it felt like it would never come. But it did, it’s here. So now, after your first year, I can tell you… What I have to tell you.”

“What couldn’t you tell me before, Pen? You know you can tell me anything.”

“Yes, I know. I know I can. But not this. Not before today.”

He said nothing for a moment. Taking one more step towards her, he saw her go even more anxious about this and probably about his step, looking down his face to his chest and then again at her feet.

“Tell me,” he said in a low voice, making her eyes rise up to his once again, her hands coming out of her pockets and falling on her sides.

There was a heartbeat, a moment of quietness before she spoke again.

“I’m in love with you, Schneider.”

There was silence in his mind. A silence like he had never heard before, his mind always so full and running everywhere, always needing to be occupied with something so he wouldn’t drown in his own musings. It went all quiet now, only the echo of his best friend’s voice repeating in a loop, _I’m in love with you. I’m in love with you, Schneider; I’m in love_ … along with the loud sound of his heart beating strongly in his chest. She licked her lips once again and looked down, still nervous, and Schneider figured he must have been silent for a very long time.

“And I knew you needed this time. I knew you needed this year to be about you, I didn’t want to put even more on your shoulders, and I know you meant to call Avery again when this anniversary came, that’s why I want to tell you this now before you could do it because… I don’t know, maybe you should have all the information you need before - ” she stopped again and looked up at him. “You don’t have to do or say anything, Schneider… And if this is one sided, if you don’t… I want you – I _need_ you to know, that nothing changes between us, that you’ll always be my best friend, because I can’t even imagine my life without my best friend in it,” she blinked and one tear escaped each eye, and she didn’t bother to dry them. “I just needed you to know.”

“I’m not calling Avery,” he finally spoke, his eyes wide staring at her. “I wasn’t – even before – before –” he paused and took one more step closer to her. “Pen, I… When?”

“Does it matter?” she asked with a smile. “I don’t even know… It feels like it’s been always there.”

 _Is this really happening? Did I get a drink tonight?_ Schneider had heard right, he knew, he knew Penelope would never joke about this. If she was voicing it, then it was true, it could only be. He trusted her not to play him with something like this. But still, he felt he couldn’t believe it. How could this be true, how could the woman he had admired the most in his entire life be in love with him? What had he done to deserve such a blessing in his life? Having her as his best friend was always so much more than he’d ever expected and he’d always been beyond grateful for that, but this…

“I never…” he started slowly, paused and restarted, “I always stopped myself from thinking about you like this. I chastised myself when my thought went in that direction because… _Pfff, this is Penelope, she’d never look at you like that!_ , and you’d hate me if you knew I had thoughts of you in any other way than as my best friend. So I – I didn’t let them come forward. I – I don’t know, I kept these thoughts locked away in this little box because I can’t bear the thought of loosing you, of doing anything to turn you away from me, to betray your trust… Again.”

“I’d never turn away from you, Schneider. I told you already, I’m not going anywhere, as your best friend or as – as something more,” and she laughed, shaking her head from side to slide slowly. “I can’t believe you’ve had those thoughts before!”

“I did….” He breathed looking down at her.

“Well… You can take them out of the little box… I mean, if you want to.”

 _Can a heart actually burst from happiness?_   He took a shuddering breath, _this is really happening_ , and felt his eyes burn for the tenth time today.

“Pen… Can you say it again?”

She smiled and lit up the entire room and said, as she took a little step, their fronts touching now, “I’m in love with you, Schneider.”

He smiled with her, the little box inside his heart bursting open, the feelings tucked inside flying uncoordinated all around, squealing with joy, knocking things over and taking control over his actions. He wasn’t sure if he just thought or actually said ‘ _oh my god_ ’ before reaching out, his hands taking hold of Penelope’s waist and forehead lowering to hers. He felt her warm hands touch his arms and move slowly up, to his shoulders and then to his hair. She had closed her eyes and was breathing hard, but he couldn’t get himself to close his, he needed to see it, needed to memorize how she looked like from here, so close to him.

He whispered, as if afraid speaking aloud would break the moment: “I’ll kiss you now, alright?”

Penelope let out a breathy laugh that was also a sob, her hand moving deeper into the hair of the back of his head, “Yes, please.”


	2. 2

There was nothing else in the world. They were not even standing on his living room; there was no living room, no apartment, nothing else. There were only them, only her body pressed against his, only her curvy waist under his hands, only her breath against his cheek and her full, soft lips on his, kissing him back, moving slowly and gently, one hand tightening on his nape and the other sliding down to rest against his chest.

Turning his head to the other side, Schneider invited her to deepen the kiss and she parted her lips. Their tongues met and the touch was tentative for just one second, and then it was a blur exploring hands, sighs and moans, and Schneider didn’t know how, but now he found himself sat on the arm of the sofa, his glasses askew, his height nearly on level with Penelope who was standing between his legs, one hand under the hem of his shirt, warm on his stomach, and the other gliding through his hair and face.

Until, that is, she broke the kiss, not moving away but creating space between their faces, and started _laughing_. Out loud. He looked confused at her, one hand leaving its place on her ass – _my God, I have my hands on Penelope’s ass!_ – to fix his glasses so he could look properly at her face.

“Okay,” he started slowly as she covered her mouth to guffaw into it, “Not the reaction I expected.”

“I’m sorry!” she kept laughing, now bending over a little and slapping her thigh. He couldn’t help the confused feelings as his pride hurt a bit but a smile still spread on his face. “ _Ay dios mio_ , I’m sorry! It’s just that,” as she controlled herself enough to speak, she stepped onto him again, between his legs. His hands missed no beat before resting on her hips and she dried a laughter tear from the corner of her eye and then rested her hands on his chest, “I just suddenly realized that… _Schneider and I are kissing! Schneider is grabbing my ass!_ ” and she laughed again, throwing her head back.

He laughed with her, not as much, but he understood the feeling. This woman in his arms was his best friend, who he had known for over seventeen years, who was family, and if years ago someone told him they’d be doing this now, he’d thought he'd be up to it, but it was absurd, because she'd never want it. But now that they were here like this, laughing but still tangled, it didn’t seem absurd, the feelings from the box were hopping around in joy and in _rightness_.

“This feels right, though, doesn’t it?”

“Your hands in my ass?” she asked, her voice filled with humor, “Felt damn right!”

He nodded slowly but enthusiastically, eyebrows rising, “Tell me about it!” and they kissed again, this time quicker. “What does this mean, Pen?”

“I don’t know. But I know what I want. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it, and the only thing I still had to check to be completely sure was if you were a good kisser,” and she laughed breathily again, “and _surprise!_ , you are!”

“I want this too. God, I didn’t even know how much I wanted it until you told me.”

“Schneider, I’ve had plenty of time to think about it, but this is still new for you. I don’t want to just throw something like that in your face and force you to have an answer, a decision straight away,” and as she concluded her thought, Penelope tried to disentangle from him. “If you need time to think better about this, you got it.”

“No, no, no,” he held her hips a pulled her back. “I can think with you right here, thanks!”

She smiled, “Schneider…”

“No, wait up, just give me a minute,” and then he looked up, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. “Let me just get this straight. So, my best friend who I love deeply and is gorgeous and hot and the strongest and most amazing woman I’ve ever know has feelings for me. And, oh! –”, he looked at her, who was already quietly laughing at him. “She also smells incredible and is an amazing kisser! You’re right, that is a brainer! I’ll definitely need more time.”

“Ok, how long?” she joined on the mockery.

“Two seconds!” he rose two fingers between them as looked at her in the eyes, smile and playfulness instantly gone. “I don’t need to think. This is it, Pen.” and he pulled her tightly against him, turning his head to bury his face on her neck. He felt her sigh and envelope him in her arms, “and this day, God, Pen, today is the single happiest day of my life.”

“I love you, Schneider,” Penelope whispered into his hair and he pushed her a bit, just enough to raise his head to look at her. “You are loved. Did you know that?”

“I have known for a while. I’ve felt it. And I love you too.”

Her eyes were round and shining when she closed them and kissed him once again, his face between her hands. It was deep and passionate from the first second, and not after a long moment Schneider slid both hands to grab her ass as their tongues glide together, breaths ragged.

“Not laughing now, boo?” he asked, his voice raspy, as he slid his kisses to her jaw and then her neck.

“No… It’s not funny.”

And now, after another blur of kisses and tongues and hands gliding all over each other, her hair, which had been up on a ponytail, was undone and tangled in his hands. He pulled it a bit, just enough for her head to fall back so he could kiss her throat, his tongue tasting her skin and making her moan under her breath. Her hand slid up his back, around to his chest to reach for his buttons. The black shirt had made him look incredibly handsome but now it had to go. She needed his skin, needed to feel him under her hands. As he felt her unbuttoning him, his hand that had been on her ass, squeezing and pulling her to him, slid up and under her shirt, up her stomach and to the underside of her bra. As she finished opening his shirt, she pushed it down his shoulders, his hands leaving her body just enough to toss it aside, finding their way back where they belonged right away. Before reaching out to him, Penelope pulled her own shirt off and Schneider groaned as he buried his face between her still bra covered breasts. She held his head there with one hand and allowed the other to travel down his back, his skin so warm, as was his breath on her skin.

“Is the door locked?” she had the mind to ask.

“No, _damn_ ,” and she let go of him as he got up and rushed to the door to lock it, making a point to put on the chain as well. When he turned back she had moved to the front of the couch as was staring at him, lips swollen, breath ragged, only in jeans and her black bra, Shirtless, he walked back to her slowly, taking her in.

“Oh, Pen, you’re so beautiful,” he caught himself saying as he stood in front of her and kissed her again just for a moment, a moan in complaint leaving her lips as he stopped and knelt, surprising her. Before she could ask, Schneider was motioning her to raise a leg so he could remove her shoe, and did the same with the other one, her hands resting on his shoulders. Instead of getting up then, though, he reached for her hips again and brought her to him, kissing her stomach, her hands tangling on his disheveled hair once again. It amazed her how even as he knelt his head could practically reach her breasts.

Penelope reached back to unclasp it and he looked up at her and then at the bra as it came off. She moved back then, to the couch, and sat there as he crawled with her. Hovering over her now, he just stared for a moment, first at her eyes, then at her lips and down to her breasts.

“My God, Pen…” and he cupped one firmly in his hand as he lowered to kiss her again. She moaned louder now and opened her legs slightly for him to place himself between them.

And that's when she felt his erection strained inside his jeans against her center. Her hips jerked against him and he groaned, she felt the vibration under her hand on his chest, and he slid wet kisses and tongue down her neck, her collar bone and finally met the breast he had his hand on. She cried out as she felt his tongue on her nipple and rubbed against him again. She got lost on the feeling of his mouth on her, now on the other breast, her own hands travelling from his chest to his back and down until she cupped his ass, even though it was hard to reach, he was so much taller than her.

He met her movements now, his grinding down on her and they were both moaning aloud, their breaths heavy. Penelope slid her hands from his ass to his front, looking for his button and zipper. He withdrew from her just enough to give her room to open his jeans. He stopped all his motion though, when her small hand reached inside the opening and found his cock over his underwear. He looked up at her, eyelids heavy, and his hip jerked against her hand. His eyes turned back on his head and he whispered a cursing that made her smile.

"Oh fuck, Pen..."

Goosebumps rose all over her skin and instantly increase the wetness still hidden inside her own jeans. She'd never heard him cursing before and this aroused tone made it sound delicious.

"We're really doing this? Right here?" he moaned against her lips.

"Yes. Yes, we are, right here."

Like it was all he was waiting to hear, he knelt between her legs with a sudden movement and reached for her jeans, unbuttoned and unzipped it quickly and slid it down her legs with a bit of her help.

"Oh wow. You matched" he said seeing her black underwear that matched the already discarded bra.

"I told you I knew what I wanted," she whispered sitting up and reaching for his pants too, motioning him to remove. He awkwardly did without getting up from the couch and his underwear came out with it, revealing his hard, ready cock. He wasted no time in removing hers too as she laid down again, her black panties following all the other clothes to the floor. Sliding his hands slowly up her thighs, he watched her hungrily; his thumbs found her center and slid up her labia. She closed her eyes, moaning, head burying back onto the cushions.

"Condom," he could hear among her cries and breaths."Schneider..."

He shot up away from her and out of the couch and went to the closest chest of drawers to pick one and returned within seconds, unwilling to be away from her for longer. Penelope sat up again and took it from his hand, opening it herself and reaching for his erection. He sat there, one leg curled under him and the other foot on the floor to allow Penelope to roll the condom down his length, her small hands firm on him.

"Come here," she said when she was done and laid back again with her hand still on him already guiding him to the right place. He went gladly, his mouth desperately finding hers as he hovered above her. As she placed him on her entrance, he broke the kiss to see her eyes still closed, arousal and willingness all over her delighted expression.

"Pen," he whispered, "Look at me."

She opened her eyes and met his gaze. He said nothing, just stared at the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen in his life, and waited. After a few seconds she brought her hands to his face, thumbs caressing his cheeks, and she nodded, a little, satisfied smile on her lips as she whispered,

" _Si, mi amor._ "

His heart swelled at her words, so much it actually _ached_ , and as he lifted her right leg to his waist his eyes never left hers. As he moved into her, and saw her eyes flutter and mouth open with a sigh, he kept looking. He needed to keep this moment, memorize it so he could remember the very moment their bodies joined for the first time. One day if she came to her senses and decided this had been a bad decision, he would have at least this moment, the single most intense, deep and perfect moment of his life.

He entered her slowly and surely, taking their sweet time to connect fully, never stopping until he had every inch of him in her and she trembled, eyes finally fluttering closed and she moaned aloud, grabbing his body tightly against her in a tight hug, his face pressed to her neck.

They started moving together, her hips moving up with him in slow but firm movements, and she was mumbling Spanish words that sounded beautiful even if Schneider didn’t understand most of them. He held her face in his hand and pressed his forehead to hers as he supported his weight on the other arm and picked up his pace.

“You’re mine now” Penelope whispered at him among her delighted moans and sighs. “Okay? I got you.”

How come Penelope always knew exactly what to say to him? How did this incredible woman know him so well, so deeply to know that _this_ was all he needed, _this_ was what he’d been yearning for all his adult life, that he wanted to be loved, he needed to feel he wasn’t alone, that he longed to _belong_ somewhere and _to someone_.

He nodded effusively, still burying himself in her over and over, unable to formulate words, capable of only whispering mumbled _yes, yes, yes_ and only when she rose her hands to his face and dried away the tears from his cheeks he noticed he was crying, and that she was too. Their kiss was salty and deep, and it didn’t take long for their pace to pick up to a feverish one, their bodies moving together in a strong rhythm.

Penelope was the first to let it come, to allow the surges of bliss to rip through her, her head tossed back into the cushions, voice raw in pleasure, eyes wet with joyful tears. Schneider didn’t even notice his own arriving, it was just part of all the pleasure and happiness he was feeling, and he forced himself to keep his eyes open and looking at her even as his waves of desire came out of him.

He let his weight fall on her, arms trembling from keeping from crushing her, a lot heavily than he wanted and she laughed, still breathless. They were entangled, still joined and pulsing, and laughing together, his face captive on her neck and engulfed by her now inexplicable hair.

“Oh, my stars!” he exclaimed right there and she laughed harder.

“ _Dios mio_ , Schneider, that was – Oh, my God!”

“Well, thanks, I aim to please!" he joked lifting his head to look at her. “Told you I was a DILF, knew you’d still want to F –”

“Don’t finish that sentence!”

He just chuckled again and kissed her, unable to help himself, like now that he actually could do that he want about to let any opportunity go. Penelope gave herself in to that kiss, long and slowly, but after a while she stopped him.

“I have to go!”

“What?” he asked confused and she untangled from him, trying to get up, making him slide out of her and turn to his side as she got up from the couch. “No, no, no…”

“I have to; I didn’t tell anyone I was leaving their apartment. I don’t want anybody knocking on your door looking for me.”

He got distracted by her naked form bending down to pick up her clothes, his head turning to the side to appreciate the view better. “Hmmm, nice!”

“Hey, stop it!” she laughed tossing his own underpants at him.

He rested his head on his arm and kept watching her put on her clothes, which she did reluctantly, he could tell by the glances she kept directing at his naked form. As she was clasping her bra back on, arms curved towards her back, he spoke again,

“What are we telling the family?” and he hated that his voice sounded much less confident that he’d felt all night.

Penelope bent down to pick her shirt and pulled it on before sitting down on the couch beside him.

“We’re just telling them the truth.”

“That we love each other and are together now?” he asked with a sweet smile. “I can go for that.”

Beaming at him, he leaned to give him a quick peck on his swollen lips and got up, heading for the door and unhooking the chain, “Be there for breakfast tomorrow,” and she turned with a hang on the lock, “not that I ever had to invite you for that.”

“I’ll be there.”

She left still grinning after one more longing glance, and as the door closed, he allowed himself to fall back on the couch, hands flying to his head, eyes wide starring at the ceiling. He had just made love to Penelope. And with that, he had found his place in the world; he had found his family, someone he loved so deeply it was hard to breathe, and someone who loved him probably just as much.

And right there, for the very first time in his entire life, Schneider felt completely and undeniably _happy_.


End file.
